118 FLIGHT International, 27 July 1972
LIGHT
COMMERCIAL
& BUSINESS
Learjet appoints Oxford CSE Aviation has been
appointed Learjet distributor for the United Kingdom and
Ireland and has applied for UK certification of the Model
24D. The appointment was announced after a Lear team
had visited Oxford and had flown a series of demonstrations
off the runway and the grass airfield. An ARB/CAA hand
ling assessment of the Lear 24D is scheduled to be flown
during August at Wichita, and it is hoped that an aircraft
will be delivered to Oxford during the spring of 1973 for
final clearance.
Pan Am Falcon application Seeking the approval of the
United States Civil Aeronautics Board to enter a new
joint agreement with Avions Marcel Dassault (Flight,
June 15, page 866), Pan American claimed to have lost
$4-08 million in 1970 and $2-89 million in 1971 under its
existing marketing arrangement. The company said that
it had agreed to buy 180 Falcon 20s and 40 Falcon 10s; of
the 163 Falcon 20s handed over 135 had been sold, leaving
an unsold inventory valued at $28-78 million. If the forma
tion of the new joint company, Falcon Jet Corporation, is
approved, Pan Am will contribute its existing stock of
Falcon spare parts which are valued at $5 • 74 million.
Fields support FAA in Europe Field Aircraft Services
has been given a long-term contract to maintain the air
craft operated in Europe by the US Federal Aviation
Administration. The FAA fleet, consisting of Sabreliners
and assorted Beech and Convair types, is used for com
munications flying and for navigation-aid calibration.
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A little-known facet of Lufthansa was demonstrated recently when the
company's executive King Air 100 operated a VIP flight into London
Heathrow
Record American general-aviation output American com
panies reporting to the General-Aviation Manufacturers'
Association reported a major improvement in deliveries
during June. Beech, Cessna and Piper delivered 726 air
craft, and light-twin production was dominated by the
Seneca with 63 units delivered. The Aztec (19) and Cessna
340 (18) were the next most successful models. Mitsubishi
led the turboprop figures with nine deliveries.
FAA seeks new calibration aircraft The FAA has issued
two specificatioins for airway navigation-aid calibration air
craft and has called for proposals from manufacturers by
August 9. The larger aircraft is to have a 600 cu ft cabin
volume and a range of 1,850 n.m. with a minimum of
lhr cruising at 41,000ft The smaller type must also cruise
at 41,000ft and is to have 1,450 n.m. range with approxi
mately half the cabin volume. Both aircraft must be capable
of continuous low-level operation in the speed range 160kt-
200kt. The FAA proposes to buy or lease 11 of the larger
type and five of the smaller, but it intends to restrict
tenders to United States manufacturers.
Lockheed provides weather service Lockheed Aircraft
has introduced a computerised weather service which is
available to business and corporate operators in the United
States. Subscribers will receive a portable data terminal
which can be linked to telephone or telex equipment, and
weather reports from more than 600 American and
Canadian airfields will be available. The service is in
addition to the JetPlan service which provides worldwide
route forecasts; introduced at the 1971 NBAA Conven
tion, this service now has 35 subscribers.
Piper damage estimate increased The cost of the damage
to the Piper Lock Haven plant caused by the flooding
which followed the passage of Hurricane Agnes has now
been assessed by the company as $23 million, an increase of
$7 million over the first estimates. Export deliveries of all
Piper types have been delayed by the destruction of build
ings occupied by ferry companies who have had to re-equip
with long-range fuel tanks and ferry avionic packs.
Scheduled seaplanes from New York Float-equipped
Aztecs are being used to start a service from Manhattan to
Philadelphia. The service is operated hourly by Downtown
Airlines, which has also tested the Mallard and Twin
Otter. It is hoped to extend the service to Boston and
Richmond.
How to move the host and 40 guests from London Heathrow to the scene
of the British Grand Prix motor race. The party was moved directly to
the circuit by a fleet of JetRangers organised by Alan Mann Helicopters
ofFairoaks